Rescue services activation

ABSTRACT

A resuscitation system for use in resuscitation of cardiac arrest victims includes a communications module for initiating a communication with an emergency medical service.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates to systems and techniques for coordinating emergency medical response with lifesaving activities of a first responder such as CPR and defibrillation.

BACKGROUND

Sudden health problems such as sudden cardiac arrest and injuries caused by accidents kill thousands of people and cause permanent injury every year. Fast and competent care to resuscitate such victims of these problems can be essential to positive outcomes in such situations. For example, it is said that the chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest falls by ten percent for every minute of delay in providing effective treatment.

Resuscitation treatments for patients suffering from cardiac arrest generally include clearing and opening the patient's airway, providing rescue breathing for the patient, and applying chest compressions to provide blood flow to the victim's heart, brain, and other vital organs. If the patient has a shockable heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia), resuscitation also may include defibrillation therapy. Along with such action, an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal for the patient may be electronically captured, displayed, and monitored, so that rescuers can determine when the patient's heart has returned to normal or near-normal operation, and determine when the heart exhibits a shockable rhythm. About half of patients who suffer ventricular fibrillation (VF) have a recurrence of VF within minutes of successful VF conversion, which may then require reconversion. Patient odds of survival fall with repeated VF recurrence during resuscitation.

SUMMARY

This document describes systems and techniques for coordinating emergency medical response with lifesaving activities of a first responder such as CPR and defibrillation. In some aspects, in the systems and methods described herein, upon initialization of the AED user input is required prior to the placement of a call to emergency medical services. In contrast to methods in which the AED automatically alerts emergency medical services each time the AED is initialized, requiring the user input is believed to reduce the number of false positives in which emergency medical services would otherwise be alerted when an emergency does not exist.

In some aspects, an automated external defibrillator system includes a device configured to detect initialization of the automated external defibrillator, a communication unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to receive a signal from the device configured to detect initialization indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator, in response to the received signal, generate a prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted, process a response from the user, and based on a positive response from the user, send a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.

Embodiments can include one or more of the following.

The device configured to detect initialization can be a sensor.

The sensor can be a light sensor configured to detect when defibrillation pads are removed from a package.

The processing unit can be further configured to access location information associated with the automated external defibrillator system and automatically provide the location information to the rescue services based on the accessed location information.

The configurations to process a response from a user can include configurations to use speech recognition to process an audio response received from the user.

The configurations to process a response from a user can include configurations to detect a response inputted by the user on a user interface.

The rescue services can include an emergency response center.

The system can also include a timer unit configured to track elapsed time subsequent to generating the prompt.

The configurations to process the response from the user can include configurations to process an inputted response from the user or a lack of response from a user and the configurations to send a signal to the communication unit based on a positive response further comprise configurations to send a signal to the communications unit to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services based on the lack of response from the user and the track elapsed time.

The communication channel can be a telephonic communication channel.

The communication channel can be a communication channel established over a 3G or 4 G communication network.

In some additional aspect, a method can include detecting initialization of an automated external defibrillator, in response to detecting the initialization of the automated external defibrillator, generating a prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted, processing a response from the user, and based on a positive response from the user, sending a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.

Embodiments can include one or more of the following.

Detecting initialization of an automated external defibrillator can include receiving a signal from a sensor in the automated external defibrillator and processing the received signal.

Receiving the signal from a sensor can include receiving the signal from a light sensor configured to detect when defibrillation pads are removed from a package.

The method can also include accessing location information associated with the automated external defibrillator system and automatically providing the location information to the rescue services based on the accessed location information.

Processing the response from the user can include using speech recognition to process an audio response received from the user.

Processing the response from the user can include detecting a response inputted by the user on a user interface.

In some additional aspects, a computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium can include instructions to cause a computing device to receive a signal from the device configured to detect initialization indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator, in response to the received signal, generate a prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted, process a response from the user, and based on a positive response from the user, send a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.

In some aspects, an automated external defibrillator system includes a sensor configured to detect initialization of the automated external defibrillator, a cellular communication unit; and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator and in response to the received signal, generate an audio prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted. The processing unit is further configured to receive an audio input from a user in response to the generated audio prompt, use speech recognition technology to process the received response from the user, and based on a positive response from the user, send a signal to cause the cellular communication unit to form a communication channel between the AED and an emergency services call center. The processing unit is further configured to access location information associated with the AED system and automatically provide location information to an emergency services call center based on the accessed location information associated with the AED system.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is an overhead view of rescuers performing CPR on a victim using an electronic system that instructs them in performance of the CPR.

FIG. 1B is a view of a serviceman performing service on the electronic system FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 shows an example system, in schematic form, for coordinating treatment of a victim.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency medical services.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show example systems in schematic form.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency medical services.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency medical services.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes mechanisms for coordinating emergency medical response with lifesaving activities of a responder such as CPR and defibrillation by generating a communication with an emergency medical response unit (e.g., an ambulance dispatch, EMT responders, emergency services call centers). Methods and systems for determining when an automated external defibrillator (AED) device is initialized and seeking input from an individual near the device regarding whether rescue services should be called is described herein. Thus, in some examples when user input is a pre-requisite for initiating the communication, rescue service units are only called upon confirmation from the user that assistance is needed. This is believed to reduce the false positive rate for calls to the emergency medical services.

FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a rescuer 104 performing CPR on a victim 102 using an electronic system (e.g., an AED 108) that that automatically diagnoses cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia and is able to treat them through defibrillation. The AED 108 also instructs the rescuer in performance of the CPR. In this example, rescuer 104 is in position and providing care to the victim 102. The rescuer 104 may be a lay rescuer who was in the vicinity of the victim 102 when the victim 102 required care, or may be trained medical personnel, such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

During a rescue, there are multiple different tasks that require the rescuer's attention and time. Good quality compressions with little or no pausing (e.g., substantially continuous administration of compressions) are important for cardiac arrest survival. Additionally, it is important to request trained medical help as soon as possible to be able to quickly provide more extensive medical care than can be provided by the rescuer at the scene of the emergency In order to assist the rescuer with multitasking and balancing performance of the multiple tasks, the AED 108 includes a communications unit for initiating contact with the emergency rescue services. More particularly, when the AED 108 is initialized (e.g., removed from box, turn on, or otherwise enabled) the AED 108 asks the rescuer whether emergency medical services should be alerted. As shown in FIG. 1A, the AED 108 is equipped with a speaker which outputs an audio message asking the rescuer “is this an emergency for which emergency medical services should be alerted?” (as shown in block 120). In an emergency situation, as shown in FIG. 1A, the rescuer can then respond by simply saying “yes” (as shown in block 122), and the AED 108 automatically places a call to the emergency medical services (e.g., a 911 call center) requesting that an emergency medical team be dispatched to the location of the AED 108. In contrast, in a non-emergency situation, as shown in FIG. 1B, the rescuer can respond by saying “no,” and the AED 108 will not place a call to emergency medical services. For example, when the AED 108 is being serviced the AED 108 is likely to be initialized but there is no need for emergency medical services to be alerted.

Thus, user input is required prior to placing a call to emergency medical services. In contrast to methods in which the AED automatically alerts emergency medical services each time the AED 108 is initialized, requiring the user input is believed to reduce the number of false positives in which emergency medical services would otherwise be alerted when an emergency does not exist. Further, the system automatically requests the input at a predetermined time (e.g., at device initialization) to reduce the delay in calling rescue services should they be needed.

FIG. 2 shows an example system in schematic form, for providing CPR and defibrillation assistance to a rescuer and for alerting emergency services to the need for assistance. In general, the system involves a number of medical devices (including a defibrillation unit 212 that is able to treat them through defibrillation) that may be used to provide life-saving care to a victim, such as a victim 202, of sudden cardiac arrest. The various devices may be part of a single unit or multiple units, and may be used to monitor various real-time physical parameters of the victim 202, to communicate between the components and with remote systems such as central caregivers and emergency services, and to provide care to the victim 202 or provide instructions to caregivers, such as caregiver 204, in providing care to the victim 202.

The victim 202 in this example is an individual who has apparently undergone sudden cardiac arrest and is being treated by the caregiver 204. The caregiver 204 may be, for example, a civilian responder who has had limited training in lifesaving techniques, an emergency medical technician (EMT), a physician, or another medical professional. The caregiver 204 in this example may be acting alone or may be acting with assistance from one or more other caregivers, such as a partner EMT.

The victim 202 is in a position in which therapy has been provided to the victim 202. For example, a set of defibrillator electrodes 210 have been applied to the victim's torso in a typical manner and are in wired connection to a portable defibrillation unit 212 that includes an energy output device 208. The defibrillation unit 212 may be, for example, an automated external defibrillator (AED), a professional defibrillator, or other similar type of defibrillating apparatus. The victim 202 can also been provided with a ventilation bag (not shown) to provide forced air into the victim's lungs to assist in rescue breathing of the victim 202. The defibrillation unit 212 and ventilation bag may be operated in familiar manners and in coordination by various caregivers. Also, the ventilation bag may be fitted with various sensors and transmitters so as to communicate electronically with the defibrillation unit 212. For example, a volumetric flow sensor may be provided with the ventilation bag, and data about the volume of airflow to and from the victim may be passed to defibrillation unit 212, so the defibrillation unit 212 may relay such information, or may also use such information to affect the manner in which defibrillation is provided to the victim 202.

A computer tablet 214 is also shown communicating with the defibrillation unit 212 and other devices. The tablet 214 may serve as a general electronic command post for the caregiver 204 to receive information about the victim 202 and other items, to communicate with other caregivers, and to provide input in controlling the operation of the various components in the system. The tablet 214 may be provided with short range and long range wireless communication capabilities, such as Bluetooth or WiFi on the one hand, and cellular 3G or 4G on the other. The caregiver 204 may input information into the tablet computer 214, such as information describing the condition of the victim 202 and other similar information that is to be recognized and recorded by the caregiver 204. The tablet 214 may also be in data communication with multiple sensors for sensing real-time information about the victim 202, such as blood pressure, pulse, and similar real-time patient parameters. The caregiver 204 may also input information into tablet 214 so as to control one or more of the medical devices being used with the victim 202. For example, the user may adjust the type, intensity, speed, or coordination of treatment that is provided to the victim 202.

The defibrillation unit 212 also includes a communication module 237. The communication module 237 includes a transmitter and receiver for providing communication links between the defibrillation unit 212 and emergency services 243 (e.g., a 911 call center, a police dispatch, an ambulance dispatch, a fire department, etc.). For example, the communication module 237 can include short range and long range wireless communication capabilities, such as Bluetooth or WiFi on the one hand, and cellular 3G or 4G on the other. During use, the communication module 237 can send a signal to a cellular tower 241 which in turn can relay the signal to emergency services 243. Further, emergency services 243 may communicate directly with a rescuer, for example, through communication module 237. Thus, bidirectional communication is established between the defibrillation unit 212 and emergency services 243. While shown in FIG. 2 as being included in defibrillation unit 212, the communication module could additionally or alternatively be included in the tablet 214.

Defibrillation unit 212 also includes initialization detector 239. The initialization detector 239 is in communication with sensors or other devices in the unit in order to determine when the unit has been turned on or otherwise initialized. For example, the initialization unit can determine when a cover of the unit is opened and upon determining that the cover has been opened, cause the unit to alert the caregiver 204 to the opportunity to initiate a call to emergency services 243. The caregiver can be alerted by speaker 236 a and/or by information displayed on computer tablet 214. Only upon receipt of appropriate confirmation from the caregiver 204 does the communication module 237 establish a communication channel to the emergency services 243.

A Chest Compression Unit (CCU) 216 is one of the medical devices that may be provided for administering to the victim 202, either integrated physically with other devices or in a separate self-contained unit. In one implementation, the CCU 216 delivers the chest compressions via a load distributing band that is placed around a patient's upper thorax. The CCU 216 may take the form, for example, of the AUTOPULSE non-invasive cardiac support pump from ZOLL Medical Corporation of Chelmsford, Mass. Such a device may be used to constrict the victim's chest evenly and thereby provide improved blood flow in the victim 202.

Various components within defibrillation unit 212 may be employed to provide dynamically adjusted and potentially synchronized chest compressions with the CCU 216, where the compressions are coordinated in time with ECG waveforms and communicated to CCU 216.

A CCU 216 may not be available in certain situations, so that chest compressions 218 may also be delivered manually by the caregiver 204. In such a case, audiovisual feedback can be provided to the caregiver 204 via speaker 236 a and display 224. Such feedback can direct the caregiver 204 to deliver compressions less forcefully when necessary, or at different speeds. It may also otherwise instruct the caregiver in the provision of care to the victim.

As shown in this example, multiple different input signals are received that characterize the current real-time condition or physical parameters of the victim 202. For example, an ECG signal 222 may be received by the defibrillation unit 212 and may represent current and real time ECG waveforms for the victim 202, which may be obtained by leads connected to defibrillation unit 212.

An SpO₂ signal 223, or other physiologically-derived signal that is either a direct or indirect measure of circulatory flow or perfusion, is also captured at box 224, and may be used to further determine when and at what force to apply chest compressions to the victim 202.

Although FIG. 2 shows specific examples of input signals such as SpO₂, an apparatus could use any relevant combination of physiological signals such as, but not limited to: ECG, measures of cardiac output, measures of heart rate, blood pressure(s), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), heart sounds (including phonocardiography), heart imaging (including ultrasound), and impedance cardiography. Compression parameters could use any relevant combination of features or measurements of compression including, but not limited to: compression velocity; compression depth; duty cycle; velocity of downstroke and upstroke; intrathoracic pressures during compressions; pleural pressures during compressions; sternal position, velocity or acceleration; chest wall or sternal strain or deformation; force applied to the chest; and pressure used to compress the chest by a mechanical chest compressor.

A sternal motion signal 226 is also sensed as an input to the defibrillation unit 212, such as to provide a feedback loop to determine the level of chest compression that has been provided to the victim 202. In particular, the defibrillation unit 212 may continue to supply a compression signal to the CCU 216 until feedback from the sternal motion signal 226 indicates that the compressions have achieved a particular degree of movement in the sternum (e.g., two inches of vertical motion).

The feedback based on the sternal motion signal 226 may also be used to feed back the amount of downstroke or upstroke velocity that a caregiver should be delivering so as to minimize the risk of inducing fibrillation. The feedback may be in the form of verbal prompts, e.g. “Release more slowly”, or a visual indicator via the display 224 (see FIG. 7) where the bar above the word “Release” will fill in proportion to the upstroke velocity of each compression delivered by the rescuer, but will turn red if the upstroke velocity is determined to be in excess of a limit above which the risk of induction of fibrillation is determined to be excessive. The goal of the rescuer is thus to maximize the filled portion of the “Release” bar without having it turn red. A coordinated combination of audible and visual feedback may also be provided.

A signal processing unit 228 is provided to filter inputs, such as ECG inputs, received from the patient for further analysis by the microprocessor 230. For example, the signal processing unit 228 may filter noise from input signals, and in the case of ECG data may filter artifacts created by chest compression motion of the victim 202 in order to remove such artifacts. Such preparation of ECG signals may be termed SEE-THRU CPR, and can be performed as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,235, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

A calculation may be performed using characteristics of the ECG, in particular the ST portion of the ECG waveform. For instance, ST elevation is indicative of ischemic injury and likely elevated sensitivity to compression-induced initiation of fibrillation. Based on the measurement of ST characteristics or other parameters of the ECG, the maximum safe thresholds for parameters of the compression—e.g. upstroke or downstroke velocity—can be calculated. The process for determining the maximum safe thresholds may also take into account state variables like numbers of shocks delivered, the amount of current or energy delivered for the immediately previous shock, a total amount of cumulative energy or current delivered for all shocks, particular morphological characteristics of the ECG such as T wave amplitude and inversion, QRS duration, and R wave curvature or sharpness.

Based on either retrospective data analysis of clinical datasets that include simultaneous recording of sternal motion signals and ECGs as well as patient outcome data, or of pre-clinical testing in animal models, a statistical model may have been developed that can predict the risk of fibrillation induction. The statistical model may in turn be used to determine an appropriate compression profile to be provided to a patient, and to be aligned in time with ECG data of the patient. The statistical model may be in the form of either a linear or non-linear regression equation, using such techniques as multiple logistic regression.

There may be multiple inputs to the regression equation, such as compression depth, upstroke and downstroke velocity, and the timing of each of the compression phases relative to the T-wave, as well as resuscitation information like defibrillation energy, number of shocks, etc., or ECG information such as ST elevation, T-wave amplitude etc. as mentioned above, thus forming an input vector. The regression equation will thus form a matrix calculation, where the input vector, X, is a 1×n dimensional matrix where n is the number of input variables, and the regression transformation matrix is an n×n matrix. The output vector, Y, is a 1×n matrix where each element is the probability that that particular parameter will induce fibrillation.

The input matrix may only incorporate ECG, other physiological signals like SpO2, or other perfusion measure and resuscitation information elements, to form a 1×p matrix with p elements, a transformation matrix of dimension p×q, where q are the number of compression parameters to be optimized, e.g. upstroke and downstroke velocity at-depth duration, etc. Based on the a priori-derived statistics and a theoretical model of the effect of compression parameters on blood flow, optimal control methods known to those skilled in the art may be employed, such as Hamiltonian control theory as introduced by Pontryagin or as an alternative, Gauss, Radau, or Lobatto pseudospectral optimal control, to achieve maximum blood flow while minimizing risk of fibrillation induction.

The theoretical model of the effect of compression parameters on blood flow may be a mathematical description of the circulatory system, such as that described in Crit Care Med 2000 Vol. 28, No. 11 (Suppl.). As that article describes, a system of differential equations has been described in a number of publications. In the specific instance of the article, “the human circulation is represented by seven compliant chambers, connected by resistances through which blood may flow. The compliances correspond to the thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, superior vena cava and right heart, abdominal and lower extremity veins, carotid arteries, and jugular veins. In addition, the chest compartment contains a pump representing the pulmonary vascular and left heart compliances. This pump may be configured to function either as a heart-like cardiac pump, in which applied pressure squeezes blood from the heart itself through the aortic valve, or as a global thoracic pressure pump, in which applied pressure squeezes blood from the pulmonary vascular bed, through the left heart, and into the periphery. Values for physiologic variables describing a textbook normal “70-kg man” are used to specify compliances and resistances in the model. The distribution of vascular conductances (1/resistances) into cranial, thoracic, and caudal components reflects textbook distributions of cardiac output to various body regions.” The input to the model is then the real time sternal motion waveform during chest compressions.

A microprocessor/analyzer 230 is provided to receive input information regarding the real-time parameters of the patient, including ECG waveform data, and to perform analysis on such data to cause, and dynamically adjust, compressions and decompressions to be executed by CCU 216 or to modify the feedback prompts provided on the display 224 and annunciated by the speaker 236 a. In this example, the coordination is between (a) an ECG waveform, (b) optional shocking by the defibrillator energy output 208, and (c) provision of signals to the CCU 216 to cause the CCU 216 to actuate in coordination with the ECG in the manners discussed above and below. Thus, for example, the defibrillation unit 212 may receive the ECG signal 222, may monitor the ECG signal to determine the rate of repetition of the signal (i.e., the patient's cardiac cycle) and the current location in the signal, and may use such information to compute the time boundaries for the next vulnerable period. Using such boundaries, the microprocessor/analyzer 230, executing stored software code, may compute a compression profile to be applied to the victim 202 so that compression/decompression motion of the CCU 216 is avoided during the vulnerable periods for the victim 202, and/or so that the velocity of motion is decreased in the period soon after a shock has been provided, and increased at a time farther after the shock has been provided, and closer to the time before a next shock is to be provided.

Triggering circuits may be signaled by the defibrillation unit 212 at appropriate times so as to generate the signals needed to cause the CCU 216 to squeeze and release the victim 202. Sternal motion signals 226 may be captured during such a process so that the defibrillation unit 212 can determine the level of compression or decompression that has been achieved, and can adjust the signals sent to the CCU 216 accordingly, using familiar closed loop control techniques.

The process carried out by the defibrillation unit 212, then, may be a continuous and cyclic process in which ECG data flows into the defibrillation unit 212 and is processed so that a continuous series of chest compressions may be provided to the victim 202 and coordinated with shocks from the defibrillator energy output 208 until the caregiver 204 intervenes (e.g., by changing certain parameters or by ending the process, such as when the victim 202 has restored his or her normal or sustainable heart rhythm). Particular ones of the chest compressions may differ from particular other ones in their compression profiles, including in the relative timing of the start of a compression or decompression, the rate of the compression or decompression, the length of hold times between compressions and decompressions, and in the overall length of a compression cycle.

The chest compression actions and/or other actions taken with respect to the victim 202 may also be taken manually and may be prompted by the various devices, including the defibrillation unit 212. Each of the changes in compression profile discussed above may also be prompted via such a manual process. For example, coordinated chest compression times and rates may be computed by the microprocessor/analyzer and may be verbally announced by the audio processor/speaker unit 236 a and 236 b in familiar manners. For example, a metronome of beeping sounds may be played to indicate to the caregiver 204 during CPR when to press down on the victim's 202 chest so as to avoid compressions or decompressions during a vulnerable period. Also, a display 224 may provide coordinated visual feedback, such as by showing an ECG waveform, showing a graph of compression depth for the victim 202, and showing other similar data that may be helpful in aiding the caregiver 204 in providing for the victim 202.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency services 243 upon receipt of a request from the rescuer to initiate such services. In general the process automatically prompts the user for input based on measured signal indicating that the defibrillation unit 212 is in use and requires a response from the user prior to initiating communication with emergency services group 243.

The process begins at box 302 where one or more inputs of the defibrillation device 212 are monitored over a period of time. These inputs continue to be monitored until the defibrillation device 212 determines that it has been initialized at box 304. For example, the defibrillation device 212 can include a sensor such as initialization detector 239 that provides a signal when a cover to the defibrillation device is opened indicating that the device is in use. In another example, the defibrillation unit 212 can include the light sensor such that when defibrillation pads are opened and removed from their packaging, light is sensed by the light sensor to provide a signal indicating that the device is in use. In another example, the defibrillation unit 212 can include a power switch and when the power switch is pressed, the signal can be sent indicating that the device is in use.

At box 306, upon determining that the defibrillation unit 212 has been initialized, the device automatically prompts the rescuer (e.g., caregiver 204) for a decision regarding whether rescue services should be alerted. At block 308, the defibrillation unit 212 receives a response to the request from the rescuer. For example the defibrillation unit 212 can include a user interface or display and the display can include a ‘yes’ and ‘no’ button which the user can depress to indicate whether emergency services should be alerted. In another example, the device can include a speaker 236 a and a microphone. The speaker can be used to provide an audio message asking the rescuer whether emergency services should be alerted and the microphone can be used to receive a verbal response from the rescuer. Signal processing and voice recognition can be used to determine whether the rescuer provided a positive or negative response.

At box 310, the defibrillation unit 212 determines whether the response was positive or negative for the need to alert medical services. If the response was that the emergency services did not need to be alerted, then the defibrillation unit 212 exits and does not initiate communication with emergency services 243 at box 312. On the other hand if the response was that emergency services needed to be alerted, then the defibrillation unit 212 initiates a communication with emergency services 243 at box 314. The defibrillation unit 212 can additionally provide location information to the emergency services 243 based on the location of the defibrillation unit 212 at box 316. For example, a registry can include location information for the defibrillation devices and when a particular defibrillation device initiates the communication with emergency services unit, the location information for that particular defibrillation device can be accessed in the database and provided to the emergency services unit. In other examples, the defibrillation device can be equipped with a GPS tracking unit and a location determined by the GPS tracking can be provided to the emergency services unit. In some additional examples, the defibrillation device can include a memory that stores location information for the device and the stored information can be provided to the emergency services unit.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, FIG. 4A shows a block diagram of the communications between the rescuer 404, the AED device 416, and emergency medical services 420. The AED device 416 includes a microphone 406, a speaker 410, and audio processing module 408, a signal processing module 412, and a transmitter/receiver 414.

During use, the signal processing unit 412 determines when the AED device 416 is initialized. Upon initialization, the signal processing module 412 provides an output to cause speaker 410 to produce an audio message to the rescuer 404. The message asks the rescuer 404 whether an emergency exists for which rescue services should be alerted, for example, whether an emergency exists for which emergency services should be called. In response to the audio message from speaker 410, rescuer 404 can verbally indicate whether emergency rescue services should be called. This response is received by microphone 406 and audio processing unit 408 determines whether the response was positive or negative. For example, speech recognition can be used to determine whether the rescuer 404 has indicated that emergency services should be called. If the response indicates that emergency services should be called, the signal processing unit 412 provides a signal to the transmitter/receiver 414 to cause the transmitter/receiver to initiate the communication channel with a cellular tower 418 and in turn with the emergency medical services 420.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, FIG. 4B shows a block diagram of communications between a rescuer 424, an AED device 432, and emergency medical services 436. The AED device 432 includes a user interface 426, a signal processing unit 428, and a transmitter/receiver 430.

During use, the signal processing unit 428 determines when the AED device 432 is initialized. Upon initialization, the signal processing module 428 provides an output to cause the user interface 426 to display a message to the rescuer 424. Message to the rescuer 424 can ask the rescuer 424 whether an emergency exists for which rescue services should be alerted. The rescuer 424 can provide a response via the user interface 426 and/or via other input buttons on the AED device 432. If the response indicates that emergency services should be called, the signal processing unit 428 provides a signal to the transmitter/receiver 432 cause the transmitter/receiver 432 initiate the communication channel with an emergency medical services group 436 for example via a cellular connection using a cellular tower 434.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency services upon receipt of a request from the rescuer to initiate such services and/or in the absence of a response from the rescuer that emergency services should not be called. In general, the system prompts the user for input and wait for a response from the user prior to initiating communication with an emergency services group. However, if no response is received from the rescuer (e.g., the rescuer may be attending to other functions of the rescue and not provide a response), then the emergency services are notified due to the absence of the response from the rescuer.

The process begins at box 502 where one or more inputs of the defibrillation device are monitored over a period of time. These inputs continue to be monitored until the device determines that it has been initialized at box 504 (e.g., as described herein). For example, the defibrillation device can include a sensor that provides a signal when a cover to the defibrillation device is opened thus indicating that the device is in use.

At box 506, upon determining that the defibrillation device has been initialized, the device prompts the rescuer for confirmation of whether rescue services should be alerted. At block 508, the system initializes a timer to track elapsed time since the prompt was provided to the rescuer. At block 510, the system waits for either a response from the rescuer or for the timer to reach a threshold amount of time. For example, the timer can count down from a set amount of time and/or the counter can count up from zero and determine when a threshold amount of time has elapsed. Upon determining that either a response has been received from the rescuer or the threshold amount of time has elapsed, at block 512, the system determines whether a responses was received. If a response has not been received, i.e., the threshold amount of time has elapsed, then the AED device automatically initiates communication with the emergency services at block 514. On the other hand, if the system determines their response was received from the rescuer, at block 516 the system determines whether the response was positive or negative for the need to alert medical services. If the response was that the emergency services did not need to be alerted, then the system exits and does not initiate communication with emergency services at box 518. On the other hand if the response was that emergency services did need to be alerted, then the system initiates a communication with emergency services at box 520.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example process for initiating a communication with emergency services upon receipt of a request from the rescuer to initiate such services. In general the process prompts the user for input and requires a response from the user prior to initiating communication with emergency services group. In the example shown in FIG. 6, if the rescuer initially responds that emergency services do not need to be alerted but continues to perform a rescue operation, the system can later provide another opportunity for the rescuer to initiate communication with emergency services by prompting the rescuer second time during administration of CPR.

The process begins at box 602 where one or more inputs of the defibrillation device are monitored over a period of time. These inputs continue to be monitored until the device determines that it has been initialized at box 604 (e.g., as described herein). At box 606, upon determining that the defibrillation device has been initialized, the device prompts the rescuer for confirmation of whether rescue services should be alerted. At block 608, the system receives a response to the request from the rescuer. For example the device can include a user interface or display in the display can include ‘yes’ and ‘no’ button which the user can depress to indicate whether emergency services should be alerted. In another example, the device can include a speaker and a microphone. The speaker can be used to provide an audio signal asking the rescuer whether emergency services should be alerted and the microphone can be used to receive a verbal response from the rescuer. Signal processing and voice recognition can be used to determine whether the rescuer provided a positive or negative response to the request. At box 610, the system determines whether the response was positive or negative for the need to alert medical services. If the response was that emergency services did need to be alerted, then the system initiates a communication with emergency services at box 314. On the other hand, at block 612, if the response was that emergency services did not need to be alerted, the system does not initiate the communication with emergency services.

Thus, user input is required prior to placing a call to emergency medical services. In contrast to methods in which the AED automatically alerts emergency medical services each time the AED 108 is initialized, requiring the user input is believed to reduce the number of false positives in which emergency medical services would otherwise be alerted when an emergency does not exist. At block 616, the system continues to monitor inputs to the AED device. For example, the system can monitor ECG inputs and/or accelerometer inputs to determine whether the system has been attached to a victim and/or whether CPR is being administered. At block 618, the system initializes the timer and waits for a predetermined length of time. After the predetermined length of time has elapsed, at block 620 the system determines whether rescue services are being performed. For example the system can determine based on the monitored inputs whether CPR is being administered. If rescue services are not being performed, at block 622 the system exits from the process. On the other hand, if the system determines based on the monitor inputs that rescue services are being performed, at block 624 the system prompts the rescuer for confirmation of whether rescue services should be alerted and initiates a communication with the rescue services if the rescuer indicates that such services are desired.

The features described can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. The apparatus can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device, for execution by a programmable processor; and method steps can be performed by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform functions of the described implementations by operating on input data and generating output. The described features can be implemented advantageously in one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. A computer program is a set of instructions that can be used, directly or indirectly, in a computer to perform a certain activity or bring about a certain result. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

Suitable processors for the execution of a program of instructions include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and the sole processor or one of multiple processors of any kind of computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to communicate with, one or more mass storage devices for storing data files; such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and optical disks. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).

To provide for interaction with a user, the features can be implemented on a computer having a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball by which the user can provide input to the computer.

The features can be implemented in a computer system that includes a back-end component, such as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, such as an application server or an Internet server, or that includes a front-end component, such as a client computer having a graphical user interface or an Internet browser, or any combination of them. The components of the system can be connected by any form or medium of digital data communication such as a communication network. Examples of communication networks include, e.g., a LAN, a WAN, and the computers and networks forming the Internet.

The computer system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a network, such as the described one. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

The computer system may include software for implementing an electronic patient care record, for example the ePCR software of ZOLL Data Systems (Broomfield Colo.). The software provides the ability to enter, store and transmit patient information as well as therapeutic interactions. The computer is often a so-called “tablet” computer system that has been ruggedized for pre-hospital use, but may also take the form of an IPHONE or IPAD. Data is preferably transmitted in real time between the portable “tablet” computer to an defibrillation unit 212, such as data that indicates the delivery of epinephrine to a victim. As epinephrine may increase risk of VF induction, notification of its delivery may be used by the MPU to adjust the compression parameters to further minimize risk of VF induction. Other separate treatments provided to the patient, or parameters of the patient condition sensed by the various sensors may also be provided to the tablet, and may factor into the rate, timing, force, or speed with which compressions and decompressions are performed on the patient.

A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated external defibrillator system, the system comprising: a sensor configured to detect initialization of the automated external defibrillator; a cellular communication unit; and a processing unit configured to: receive a signal from the sensor indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator; in response to the received signal, generate an audio prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted; receive an audio input from a user in response to the generated audio prompt; use speech recognition technology to process the received response from the user; based on a positive response from the user, send a signal to cause the cellular communication unit to form a communication channel between the AED and an emergency services call center; access location information associated with the AED system; and automatically provide location information to the emergency services call center based on the accessed location information associated with the AED system.
 2. An automated external defibrillator system, the system comprising: a device configured to detect initialization of the automated external defibrillator; a communication unit; and a processing unit configured to: receive a signal from the device configured to detect initialization indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator; in response to the received signal, generate a prompt requesting user input related to whether rescue services should be alerted; process a response from the user; based on an affirmative response from the user, send a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the device configured to detect initialization comprises a sensor.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises a light sensor configured to detect when defibrillation pads are removed from a package.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is further configured to access location information associated with the automated external defibrillator system and automatically provide the location information to the rescue services based on the accessed location information.
 6. The system of claim 2, wherein the configurations to process a response from a user comprise configurations to use speech recognition to process an audio response received from the user.
 7. The system of claim 2, wherein the configurations to process a response from a user comprise configurations to detect a response inputted by the user on a user interface.
 8. The system of claim 2, wherein the rescue services comprise an emergency response center.
 9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a timer unit configured to track elapsed time subsequent to generating the prompt.
 10. The system of claim 2, wherein the configurations to process the response from the user further comprise configurations to process an inputted response from the user or a lack of response from a user and the configurations to send a signal to the communication unit based on a positive response further comprise configurations to send a signal to the communications unit to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services based on the lack of response from the user and the track elapsed time.
 11. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication channel comprises a telephonic communication channel.
 12. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication channel comprises a communication channel established over a data communication network.
 13. A method comprising: detecting initialization of an automated external defibrillator; in response to detecting the initialization of the automated external defibrillator, generating a prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted; processing a response from the user; based on a positive response from the user, sending a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein detecting initialization of an automated external defibrillator comprises receiving a signal from a sensor in the automated external defibrillator and processing the received signal.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein receiving the signal from a sensor comprises receiving the signal from a light sensor configured to detect when defibrillation pads are removed from a package.
 16. The system of claim 13, further comprising accessing location information associated with the automated external defibrillator system and automatically providing the location information to the rescue services based on the accessed location information.
 17. The system of claim 13, wherein processing the response from the user comprises using speech recognition to process an audio response received from the user.
 18. The system of claim 13, wherein processing the response from the user comprises detecting a response inputted by the user on a user interface.
 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the response from the user comprises initiating a 911 call.
 20. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions to cause a computing device to: receive a signal from the device configured to detect initialization indicating initialization of the automated external defibrillator; in response to the received signal, generate a prompt requesting user input about whether rescue services should be alerted; process a response from the user; based on a positive response from the user, send a signal to cause the communication unit to form an audio communication channel between the automated external defibrillator and rescue services.
 21. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising instructions to cause the computing device to access location information associated with the automated external defibrillator system and automatically provide the location information to the rescue services based on the accessed location information. 